Conservative group to air $1 million in ads against Trump in Iowa

The conservative group Club for Growth said Tuesday it will air $1 million in television ads in Iowa targeted at Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump.

The ads accuse Trump of trying to con Republican voters and say he really is for higher taxes, national health care and the Wall Street bailout.

'Donald Trump is the worst Republican candidate on economic issues,” said David McIntosh, the president of the Club for Growth, which is based in Washington, D.C. 'It's astonishing that he's even running as a Republican.”

In one of the ads, Trump is seen saying, in 2004, that he identifies more with Democrats than Republicans.

At one point, the narrator of one of the ads says, 'He's really just playing us for chumps.” Another ad says he supported a 2005 Supreme Court decision that has drawn conservative fire for limiting individual property rights.

On his official Twitter account, Trump responded Tuesday: 'Little respected Club For Growth asked me for $1,000,000 - I said ‘NO'. Now they are spending lobbyist and special interest money on ads!”

Trump accused the group recently of trying to get him to donate $1 million. The Club for Growth says it was Trump who offered to make the donation.

Weeks ago, Trump vaulted to the head of the polls nationally and in early voting states while criticizing immigrants and the political class. And, much to the surprise of many analysts, he has stayed there.

The RealClearPolitics average of national polls over the past month has Trump leading by 12 percentage points over his nearest challenger. A new CBS News/New York Times poll also says Trump is leading, but by a narrower four-point margin over retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson.

In Iowa, Trump's average lead in polls, conducted from Aug. 23 through Sept. 10, was about 6 points, according to RealClearPolitics.

Trump's lead has persisted even as he has been targeted by rivals. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has taken on Trump. So have Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who dropped out of the presidential race last week.

Still, the Club for Growth's investment of $1 million is notable for its potential reach in the first-voting state. The group says the ads will run on broadcast, cable and satellite television, as well as on digital platforms.